This is an excellent all-around webcam that offers video quality comparable to the HyperX Vision S, but with some extras like Show Mode and a microphone array. With three separate configuration apps catered to different use cases, it's a top choice for video calls and streaming alike. The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra remains the sharpest webcam available and our top pick for content creators, but the MX Brio is easier to use and costs $100 less, making it our top recommendation for most people.

This is our default recommendation for anyone who wants sharper-than-1080p picture quality for under $100. The Dell Pro Webcam can't stand up to 4K webcams in terms of detail capture, but it's the best pick for most people.

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If you want to look your best on video calls, your laptop's built-in camera often won't cut it. Here's what to look for in an add-on webcam, along with the top models we've tested.

If you're a content creator who doesn't want to deal with connecting a phone or a separate digital camera to your computer, consider this premium webcam a wise investment. Just keep in mind that the shallow focal plane isn't ideal if you frequently want your background to be in focus at the same time that you are.

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A webcam can only get as sharp as its sensor can resolve pixels. Full HD (1080p) resolution is a good starting point for a decent webcam, but if you want to up your picture quality (or be able to crop your frame and keep it sharp), a 4K webcam is what we recommend. Quad HD 2K (2,560 by 1,440) is a rare but flexible middle ground between those two. Stay away from 720p models if you can; they offer the softest image quality and are likely no better than your laptop's built-in webcam.

More expensive webcams often include an autofocus system, which means their lenses adjust to make sure you're clear at any distance from the camera. This is preferable because you don't have to worry about sitting in the same spot to remain in focus.

Even the best webcams struggle in a dark room. If you want a clear, sharp picture, you need good lighting. Overhead lights and sunlight are helpful, but not ideal and won't necessarily give you the best results. If you want to show anything off on your webcam, consider an adjustable fill light like the Logitech Litra Glow.

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The Dell Pro Webcam offers strong performance for its reasonable price. Its 2K resolution makes it sharper than most others on this list and it's not nearly as expensive as 4K models. The microphone works well, too, which is a distinct advantage over the mic-free Dell Ultrasharp Webcam.

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The 1080p Live! Cam Sync V2 won't impress anyone with its specs or performance, but it's still an excellent choice that offers better quality than your laptop's built-in webcam. Creative also sells a 4K Live! Cam Sync V3 for about $10 more, but we haven't tested that model yet.

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The Logitech Streamcam is a few years old, but it's still competitive with more recent models. This 1080p, 60fps camera records in both horizontal and vertical orientations, so it's just as useful for TikTok as for video calls. Otherwise, dual microphones capture reasonably clear audio and the Logitech Capture app provides useful software support.

The midrange Poly Studio P5 comes in above the price of the Creative Live! Cam Sync V2, but below that of the Dell Pro Webcam. Clean mic quality and a relatively sharp picture are highlights.

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I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).

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This is an ideal option if you are just starting out with recording or streaming content because it includes stereo microphones (and thus saves you some money). It's a little pricey for a 1080p webcam, but the companion software and vertical recording features add significant value.

I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).

The Poly Studio P5 is a strong value and a good choice for people who want a better-than-budget experience. Like the aforementioned Creative model, it's better for standard video calls than content creation, but that might be all you need it for.

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The Creative Live! Cam Sync 4K offers a native resolution of 4K for just $60, making it an inexpensive way to upgrade how you look on video calls. It doesn't compete with more expensive cameras in terms of image quality, but its mic array is a definite upgrade over the one built into your laptop.

The lens on a webcam is just as important as the sensor, and generally bigger is better. It determines how much light reaches the camera sensor, which affects how you look in less-than-ideal lighting scenarios. This is known as the aperture size, and most cameras express this value as f/(number). The lower the number, the wider the aperture and the more light that comes through. Webcams don't often advertise their aperture sizes, but they generally range from f/2.0 to f/2.8.

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Alternatively, if your phone has a good camera, you can try using it as a webcam. Check out our guide on turning your phone into a webcam with free software.

If you want to save money on your webcam upgrade, this is your best bet. It's not quite suitable for streaming or recording, but it works just fine for video calls.

The Logitech MX Brio offers an incredibly sharp 4K picture along with strong low-light performance and excellent auto-exposure and color balance. Its deep focal plane ensures that both you and your background stay sharp at the same time, without requiring you to tweak any settings. It also has a unique Show Mode that flips the picture when you tilt the camera forward, so you can show off what your hands are doing without wrestling with awkward angles.

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This webcam is for serious videoconferencing or content creation where you need to lock yourself in the frame. It's good for framing presentations, props, and dance moves, and it even comes with a case if you want to take it on the go. If any of those use cases apply to you, the Obsbot Tiny 2 is well worth its high price.

The HyperX Vision S is one of the sharpest webcams we've tested, along with the Logitech MX Brio and the more expensive Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra. It has a much deeper focus plane than the Kiyo Pro to keep both you and your surroundings crisp at the same time, though it means you don't get the cinematic bokeh effect. But depending on what you want a webcam for, that might not be a big disadvantage.

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The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra simply offers the best picture quality we've seen in a webcam, with superb 4K detail. Its 1/1.2-inch sensor enables excellent low-light performance too, preventing you from looking noisy in darker environments. Finally, its f/1.7 aperture means you get actual bokeh (something that most webcams don't even try) for a naturally defocused background.

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This is the step-up webcam to get if the Dell Pro isn't within your budget and you want more cropping flexibility than a 1080p camera allows.

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The frame rate affects how smooth your video looks. A 60fps webcam presents you in a much more realistic and natural way than a 30fps webcam, but the trade-off for most 4K webcams is that 4K resolution is limited to 30, so you'll have to choose between a sharper picture and smoother motion, and the former is usually the better choice.

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With that in mind, some high-end webcams like the HyperX Vision S forego microphones entirely. These webcams focus on video quality and assume that you have a dedicated USB mic or gaming headset with a boom mic—either of which will provide better sound than any webcam mic. We recommend using a USB mic or headset if you're serious about recording, streaming, or any video calls that might be recorded for future use. Obviously, these would come at an extra expense.

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Most inexpensive webcams are fixed-focus. That means the lenses don't adjust to keep you in focus, or are simply set to capture you within a wide enough range that you show up clearly. This behavior is fine if you sit directly in front of the camera a few feet away, but it's easy to wander out of the focal plane (particularly if you want to show something up close).

You aren't going to get amazing sound from your webcam's mic array. Sometimes you can find a webcam with a mic that sounds pretty good, but the acoustics of your room and the simple distance between you and the webcam means there's a limit to how clear your voice sounds.

The lens also determines the camera's field of view, which is important for framing. If you want to capture only your face and cut out your messy bedroom, get something with a narrow field of view (or a high enough resolution that you can crop the frame). If you want to record an entire conference room, make sure the webcam has a wide field of view. Typically, these ranges fall between 65 and 90 degrees, with 78 degrees serving as a common middle ground. In this case, the smaller the number, the smaller the field of view.

Do you have a mirrorless or SLR camera? Good news! You can use it to (potentially) get far better picture quality than any consumer webcam. Our guide to setting up your digital camera as a webcam walks you through all the requisite steps for recording and streaming from your favorite camera.

Some higher-resolution cameras have what's called AI autofocus, which combines autofocus with digital zoom to center the frame around your face as you move around within the camera's field of view. This is a handy feature, but it can't replace properly framing the shot ahead of your conference.

The Obsbot Tiny 2 isn't just one of the smallest webcams we've ever tested; it's also one of the most feature-filled. It has a built-in gimbal for mechanical pan and tilt, AI-powered tracking that can follow your body, face, hands, or lower body, and voice controls. Its 4K picture looks great, too.

At PCMag, we've been covering webcams for more than 20 years, long before video calls became commonplace. We've seen them evolve from rare luxuries eking out grainy video to sleek and modern 4K videoconferencing powerhouses. We've thoroughly tested every webcam on this list, considering factors such as video quality, audio quality, and how well it can function when your lighting is less than ideal. The Obsbot Tiny 2 is the best webcam overall thanks to its 4K video, mechanical pan and tilt, effective AI human tracking, and voice control. If you want a webcam for shooting vertical video or just an inexpensive model that works well, we have you covered in our list below.

If you want a very sharp picture and don't want to get too fancy with framing and focus, the HyperX Vision S is a strong choice that costs less than the Kiyo Pro Ultra. Just be aware that it doesn't have a microphone, so you'll have to use your computer's microphone, a headset, or a USB mic. For comparable video quality, plus a microphone, check out the Logitech MX Brio.

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